NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The 49ers will want to meet their many needs in the 2021 NFL Draft, but getting value can be just as important as landing talent.
There haven’t been too many recent San Francisco 49ers NFL Drafts where the team had awfully few needs and could afford to spend early selections on the proverbial “luxury pick.”
And this certainly won’t be the case again in 2021, where the Niners currently own eight picks, including No. 12 overall, and are likely poised to receive an additional two more — one in Round 3 after the New York Jets hired former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and another for the 2020 free-agent departure of wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders.
Each draft, just like each San Francisco team over the years, is a bit of a different animal. Two years ago, when the 49ers selected EDGE Nick Bosa at No. 2 overall, he was the premier pass-rusher in a draft class laden with pass-rushers.
This year, there aren’t too many surefire pass-rushers available. Yes, there’s a good deal of depth here. But few of the prospects stand out as “safe” targets.
Fortunately, there are plenty of other positions where the draft class is deep. And while the Niners have more than their share of offseason needs, they can still afford to wait on some positions until the latter portions of day two and potentially into day three to address them.
Here are four such positions where San Francisco can afford to sit tight and see which players fall.
No. 4: Running Back — 49ers may not reach for one early anyway
On the surface, it doesn’t seem like the 49ers would need to target a running back early. At least not with runners Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr. and JaMycal Hasty set to round out the depth chart.
But none of those players are signed into 2022, meaning there should be some consideration for additions anyway.
It’s not head coach Kyle Shanahan’s modus operandi to use an early pick on a running back, instead finding the hidden-gem talents in the later rounds or even out of the ranks of the undrafted.
This year’s NFL Draft features two high-end talents: Alabama’s Najee Harris and Clemson’s Travis Etienne, both of whom are flirting with Round 1 consideration.
After that, it’s a bit of a drop. North Carolina’s Michael Carter impressed at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, while fellow UNC teammate Javonte Williams is a solid dual-threat target.
Still, the tendency for Shanahan to pass early on running backs in the draft likely continues in 2021, and the Niners probably wait until Round 4 at the soonest to address this spot.